When we set out to get an interview we had no idea what we were going to do:
we didn't know anyone from this region, and had no family connections.
When it fell upon me to do the interview
I decided to use the medium that I was given the benefit of access to:
The internet.
I emailed seventy people from the Facebook group
"We're awesome because we live in Australia!"
and got mixed reviews back.
The following is the results of the online interviews I conducted with them.
The people I was able to interview are varied, and show a wide range of opinions from within Australia.
Angie To: a vietnamese college student living in Canberra Rachel Jethon: a caucasian high school student living in Perth Western Australia Daniel Gibson: a caucasian man in his thirties living in Towoomba Queensland Amy Osborne: a mother of two living in Canberra Cameron Layer: a caucasian high school boy living in Ballina, New Bay.
Note: The pictures are in the same order that the interviewees are listed above
Q1: So, to begin with, whereabouts in Australia do you live, and what is it like there?
Angie To: "I live South East. :) Generally, even in winter we get sunshine on some days. Summer is wonderful and it usually gets decently hot. :) For summer, the weather is usually around 30'Celcius, sometimes higher. Otherwise, we're still suffering from a drought, so we have to be careful about water usage. Beaches are wonderul, and it's great for a country who loves sunshine. :)
Summer is also great because where I live, it's very hot during the day, but by nightfall the weather cools down. :)
When it comes to landscape, it really does depend where you live. I live in Canberra, which is the capital city of Australia. We have a lot of parks, forest-ey area, and in general, it's got plenty of nature about. :)" Rachel Jethon: "I live in Perth Western Australia; its known as the most isolated city in the world haha but thats okay :) Its really friendly and the people aren't fake so its a pretty cool place to live :) anything else you'd like to know?" Daniel Gibson: "Toowoomba Queensland. Located within 1 hour of the capital Bribane with a population of about 100,000. Mild climate, well serviced, low congestion." Amy Osborne: "i live in the capital of australia its very hot here in summer we get up to 40 degrees and in winter it is freezing we have lots of kangaroos and koalas" Cameron Layer: "i live in Ballina, NSW its near Byron bay if you know where that is. its warm and sunny."
Q2: What relative benefits to you see in living in Australia compared to other countries?
Angie To: "I've visited some places in Europe, and some in Asia. However, not long enough to really be able to compare fairly with where I live. Though I could say that in Australia, I rather like the education system. Of course, I can only speak for public education, as I've never attended a private school. Public schools encourage individuality in opinion and voice, which I find invaluable.
Other than that, Aussies are a bunch of carefree yet hard working people. It's wonderful to live in a multicultural society. :)" Rachel Jethon: "umm I guess good schooling like its not overcrowded, umm theres heaps of beaches and stuff which are always fun and everywhere is pretty clean the air isnt polluted" Daniel Gibson: "More relaxed lifestyle with lower density living. The ability to experience more growing up, like being able to drive to the beach, desert, rainforest, or having a large enough backyard to ride a motorbike or play sports in suburbia. Good education, unbiased and low pressure environment with regard to lifestyle and religion. Good employment opportunities, low internal or international conflict. And additionally don't get me wrong I'm not racist but we have low ethnic diversity which while not necessarily always the cause of conflict and hate, low populations of unintegrated immigrants reduces the potential for racial hate and violence. The lifestyle experienced within this country, I beleive, is equal to anywhere else in the world, if not better." Amy Osborne: "we have a clean fresh eniroment and you get to see wildlife driving along" Cameron Layer: "we have a low population density with 5+ kilometers per every person"
Q3: On the other hand, what negative aspects do you see?
Rachel Jethon: "umm well yea like I said i live in the most isolated city in the world so its more expensive to travel, it hasn't really stopped me from doing so but yea, and i guess we dont get as many concerts and stuff as other places but other than that its all good :)" Daniel Gibson: "I would change the local and state governments. The Premier of Queensland is wasting funds on ridiculous items rather than crucial infrastructure. One example is $65m recently spent upgrading a football stadium, while my city runs out of drinking water, leaving local residents to pick up the bill in our rates. The incompetency of our local government is reducing the quality of life through taxing residents for spending on items in the capital cities. Additionally the federal government is attempting to increase unemployment and restrict exports by introducing an emissions trading scheme potentially detrimental to our mining industry. This mining industry supports our economy on the back of increasing production in China and is important to sustain our lifestyle. So in answer to your question I would change the government from the local council right through to the federal level." Cameron Layer: "Sun burn. also we are kinda seperated from the rest of the world so if we wanted to travel overseas its a long flight. even traveling from one end of Aus to the other takes around 7 hours by plane"
Q4: What values do you think distinguish Australia from other countries?
Angie To: "I think what's great is that in Australia, we all have a voice, and when we come together and fight towards a goal, or for a cause, our government or people of parliament *do* listen to what it is we have to say.
It's almost reassuring to know that every single voice really can make a difference. The fact we have a democracy emphasises this so much. :)" Rachel Jethon: "ummm not really umm people really value friendship over here like friends are just as important as family but i guess thats the same as anywhere these days ahha but yea :) I cant really think of any other particular values" Daniel Gibson: "We have a unique set of values which may not make perfect sence to foreigners. All Australians value a fair go, they go for the underdog in most situations, don't like the tall poppy, and value a free lifestyle with plenty of leisure and personal enjoyment. We have a good balance of work/play, and have a great sense of pride in our country, and wish to protect our way of life. We are easy going people and are willing to welcome anyone into our country so long as they respect these values and this way of life, but when they don't and they try and change the way we live, the way we are, and the overall nature of our society we unite and become a little less welcoming." Cameron Layer: "mateship, loyalty, adventurous, outdoorsy"
Q5: If you do not live in Canberra, have you ever been to Canberra, and how do you think it differs from where you live in terms of development etc?
Rachel Jethon: "no i haven't, there's nothing really to do over there haha apart from looking at flowers and the government buildings lol ;) I'd much rather live here although it is isolated from everywhere else its way more exciting here!"
Q6: In Korea, where I live, Seoul is the center of nearly all activity, with all the important events happening here, most of the population living here, nearly all the development focused here etc. If you're not in Seoul, aside from a few other districts, its very likely you'll end up in the countryside.
I was wondering if Australia was the same way, and whether Canberra is the center of Australian activity in this manner.
Angie To: "Well, Canberra is the political center, and that's about it. We also have the Australian National University (ANU) here, which is a world ranked University, so that's good too. :D I think that each city in Australia has something to offer, and Canberra's just the heart of it all. We're not *too* much of a big city, and we're not a countryside town. It's a good mix, in my opinion. :)
But nah, I don't think we're the center, center of Aussie activity. Politically, yes, very much so, otherwise: not so much. (It's why teens reckon it's boring here, 'cause it's not much of a party city ;P The nightlife isn't quite as good as Sydney's - it's just fairly quiet here in Canberra ;D)" Rachel Jethon: "No definatley not! The original capital was either Sydney or Melbourne and thats definitely the best places in Australia to go to. Ummm well we have a sport called AFL (Australian Football League) and everyone is right into that over here especially me haha theres two different teams for the state I live in and everyone gets pretty involved haha. ummm the beach like I said before ummm the shoppings good haha yea i guess everything else is just the same as anywhere really :)" Cameron Layer: "canberra is a less of a city and more of a large rural town. it was founded when australia was became founded as a country (1901). the two major citys of Australia were in conflict on where would be the capital. Melbourne or Sydney. there was no conclusion and so they decided to create a political hub in between the two. the general population doesnt realy like Canberra, its in the middle of nowhere whitch is acceptable however its cold which is not so acceptable so it has a low population."
Q7: How growing up in such a multicultural and diverse country influenced you?
Angie To: "I think it's made me a lot more open minded and accepting. I love the fact that it's not impossible to find someone who can relate to you, no matter how odd your views are. Also it really does open your eyes to a lot of different cultures, as long as you've got the patience and willingness to learn more about other people. :)" Rachel Jethon: "I guess its mixed me in with other cultures and i suppose made me not racist lol does that make any sense hahaha??" Amy Osborne: "well it just seems normal nothing seems different and for me its every day life"
Q8: Have you ever been to the outback? If so, what was it like? Can you picture Australia without the outback?
Angie To: "Nope, I haven't. :P really want to though, it would be awesome. :D" Daniel Gibson: "The outback has little effect on most Australian's lives. I personally have crossed 12 of the 13 deserts, climbed ayers rock twice and travelled the most remote track in the world, the canning stock route. Most Australians haven't done these things or could even fathom what most of our country is like. But for those of us who have experienced it, it is a magical environment which needs to be protected and treasured. Additionally, the sparseness of our nation does influence city livers in that they can travel less than 2 hours out of their capital city and be in the bush, enabling camping, fishing, four wheel driving, and riding motorbikes, which is a great escape and release for many Australians. Without the outback we may aswell live in Tokyo or New York breathing smog and living stressful lives in the hectic congestion. Our outback and sparseness means we live a more relaxed life with the ability to escape the rat race of inner city mayhem. For some the outback provides no real advantage but for most it promotes lifestyle, pride, and a common feature of our nation for all Australians to enjoy." Cameron Layer: "not australia"
Q9: Finally, is there any stereotypical assumptions you would like to clear up about Australia or any you would like to confirm as true? :)
Angie To: "Well, we definitely seem to drink a lot of beer. :P I personally don't, but it's a pretty Aussie thing to just kick back with a beer at the end of a long hard day of work. Also, yes there are a lot of kangaroos, but it does depend where you live. They don't just hop around the city centers. :P
And no, we're not all buddies with kangaroos. :P they're actually pretty dangerous, if you catch them in a bad mood. :P I can't really think of anymore Aussie stereotypes, but another thing is we all do say "mate" a lot. :P And a lot *a lot* of people do say "g'day". :D" Rachel Jethon: "The only time i've seen an alive kangaroo is dead on the side of the road lol so no there isn't many haha! They're pretty dangerous on the roads so I guess that's why they get hit a lot. Umm saying mate all the time is pretty wrong haha I must admit I do say it a lot but only to play up to the stereotype haha it doesn't come natural, ummm Barbecues do happen a lot for some strange reason lol and sport is a pretty big thing here so i guess a lot of them are true.
CONTACT THEM
:::
They all said that they would be happy to answer any further questions. From their answers here you can see their personalities and see who you want to contact. If you put their name on the search engine on facebook you can easily send them messages.
If you click on a picture it will take you to their profile page on Facebook
INTRODUCTION
:::
When we set out to get an interview we had no idea what we were going to do:
we didn't know anyone from this region, and had no family connections.
When it fell upon me to do the interview
I decided to use the medium that I was given the benefit of access to:
The internet.
I emailed seventy people from the Facebook group
"We're awesome because we live in Australia!"
and got mixed reviews back.
The following is the results of the online interviews I conducted with them.
The people I was able to interview are varied, and show a wide range of opinions from within Australia.
Angie To: a vietnamese college student living in Canberra
Rachel Jethon: a caucasian high school student living in Perth Western Australia
Daniel Gibson: a caucasian man in his thirties living in Towoomba Queensland
Amy Osborne: a mother of two living in Canberra
Cameron Layer: a caucasian high school boy living in Ballina, New Bay.
Note: The pictures are in the same order that the interviewees are listed above
Q1: So, to begin with, whereabouts in Australia do you live, and what is it like there?
Angie To: "I live South East. :) Generally, even in winter we get sunshine on some days. Summer is wonderful and it usually gets decently hot. :) For summer, the weather is usually around 30'Celcius, sometimes higher. Otherwise, we're still suffering from a drought, so we have to be careful about water usage. Beaches are wonderul, and it's great for a country who loves sunshine. :)
Summer is also great because where I live, it's very hot during the day, but by nightfall the weather cools down. :)
When it comes to landscape, it really does depend where you live. I live in Canberra, which is the capital city of Australia. We have a lot of parks, forest-ey area, and in general, it's got plenty of nature about. :)"
Rachel Jethon: "I live in Perth Western Australia; its known as the most isolated city in the world haha but thats okay :) Its really friendly and the people aren't fake so its a pretty cool place to live :) anything else you'd like to know?"
Daniel Gibson: "Toowoomba Queensland. Located within 1 hour of the capital Bribane with a population of about 100,000. Mild climate, well serviced, low congestion."
Amy Osborne: "i live in the capital of australia its very hot here in summer we get up to 40 degrees and in winter it is freezing we have lots of kangaroos and koalas"
Cameron Layer: "i live in Ballina, NSW its near Byron bay if you know where that is. its warm and sunny."
Q2: What relative benefits to you see in living in Australia compared to other countries?
Angie To: "I've visited some places in Europe, and some in Asia. However, not long enough to really be able to compare fairly with where I live. Though I could say that in Australia, I rather like the education system. Of course, I can only speak for public education, as I've never attended a private school. Public schools encourage individuality in opinion and voice, which I find invaluable.
Other than that, Aussies are a bunch of carefree yet hard working people. It's wonderful to live in a multicultural society. :)"
Rachel Jethon: "umm I guess good schooling like its not overcrowded, umm theres heaps of beaches and stuff which are always fun and everywhere is pretty clean the air isnt polluted"
Daniel Gibson: "More relaxed lifestyle with lower density living. The ability to experience more growing up, like being able to drive to the beach, desert, rainforest, or having a large enough backyard to ride a motorbike or play sports in suburbia. Good education, unbiased and low pressure environment with regard to lifestyle and religion. Good employment opportunities, low internal or international conflict. And additionally don't get me wrong I'm not racist but we have low ethnic diversity which while not necessarily always the cause of conflict and hate, low populations of unintegrated immigrants reduces the potential for racial hate and violence. The lifestyle experienced within this country, I beleive, is equal to anywhere else in the world, if not better."
Amy Osborne: "we have a clean fresh eniroment and you get to see wildlife driving along"
Cameron Layer: "we have a low population density with 5+ kilometers per every person"
Q3: On the other hand, what negative aspects do you see?
Rachel Jethon: "umm well yea like I said i live in the most isolated city in the world so its more expensive to travel, it hasn't really stopped me from doing so but yea, and i guess we dont get as many concerts and stuff as other places but other than that its all good :)"
Daniel Gibson: "I would change the local and state governments. The Premier of Queensland is wasting funds on ridiculous items rather than crucial infrastructure. One example is $65m recently spent upgrading a football stadium, while my city runs out of drinking water, leaving local residents to pick up the bill in our rates. The incompetency of our local government is reducing the quality of life through taxing residents for spending on items in the capital cities. Additionally the federal government is attempting to increase unemployment and restrict exports by introducing an emissions trading scheme potentially detrimental to our mining industry. This mining industry supports our economy on the back of increasing production in China and is important to sustain our lifestyle. So in answer to your question I would change the government from the local council right through to the federal level."
Cameron Layer: "Sun burn. also we are kinda seperated from the rest of the world so if we wanted to travel overseas its a long flight. even traveling from one end of Aus to the other takes around 7 hours by plane"
Q4: What values do you think distinguish Australia from other countries?
Angie To: "I think what's great is that in Australia, we all have a voice, and when we come together and fight towards a goal, or for a cause, our government or people of parliament *do* listen to what it is we have to say.
It's almost reassuring to know that every single voice really can make a difference. The fact we have a democracy emphasises this so much. :)"
Rachel Jethon: "ummm not really umm people really value friendship over here like friends are just as important as family but i guess thats the same as anywhere these days ahha but yea :) I cant really think of any other particular values"
Daniel Gibson: "We have a unique set of values which may not make perfect sence to foreigners. All Australians value a fair go, they go for the underdog in most situations, don't like the tall poppy, and value a free lifestyle with plenty of leisure and personal enjoyment. We have a good balance of work/play, and have a great sense of pride in our country, and wish to protect our way of life. We are easy going people and are willing to welcome anyone into our country so long as they respect these values and this way of life, but when they don't and they try and change the way we live, the way we are, and the overall nature of our society we unite and become a little less welcoming."
Cameron Layer: "mateship, loyalty, adventurous, outdoorsy"
Q5: If you do not live in Canberra, have you ever been to Canberra, and how do you think it differs from where you live in terms of development etc?
Rachel Jethon: "no i haven't, there's nothing really to do over there haha apart from looking at flowers and the government buildings lol ;) I'd much rather live here although it is isolated from everywhere else its way more exciting here!"
Q6: In Korea, where I live, Seoul is the center of nearly all activity, with all the important events happening here, most of the population living here, nearly all the development focused here etc. If you're not in Seoul, aside from a few other districts, its very likely you'll end up in the countryside.
I was wondering if Australia was the same way, and whether Canberra is the center of Australian activity in this manner.
Angie To: "Well, Canberra is the political center, and that's about it. We also have the Australian National University (ANU) here, which is a world ranked University, so that's good too. :D I think that each city in Australia has something to offer, and Canberra's just the heart of it all. We're not *too* much of a big city, and we're not a countryside town. It's a good mix, in my opinion. :)
But nah, I don't think we're the center, center of Aussie activity. Politically, yes, very much so, otherwise: not so much. (It's why teens reckon it's boring here, 'cause it's not much of a party city ;P The nightlife isn't quite as good as Sydney's - it's just fairly quiet here in Canberra ;D)"
Rachel Jethon: "No definatley not! The original capital was either Sydney or Melbourne and thats definitely the best places in Australia to go to. Ummm well we have a sport called AFL (Australian Football League) and everyone is right into that over here especially me haha theres two different teams for the state I live in and everyone gets pretty involved haha. ummm the beach like I said before ummm the shoppings good haha yea i guess everything else is just the same as anywhere really :)"
Cameron Layer: "canberra is a less of a city and more of a large rural town. it was founded when australia was became founded as a country (1901). the two major citys of Australia were in conflict on where would be the capital. Melbourne or Sydney. there was no conclusion and so they decided to create a political hub in between the two. the general population doesnt realy like Canberra, its in the middle of nowhere whitch is acceptable however its cold which is not so acceptable so it has a low population."
Q7: How growing up in such a multicultural and diverse country influenced you?
Angie To: "I think it's made me a lot more open minded and accepting. I love the fact that it's not impossible to find someone who can relate to you, no matter how odd your views are. Also it really does open your eyes to a lot of different cultures, as long as you've got the patience and willingness to learn more about other people. :)"
Rachel Jethon: "I guess its mixed me in with other cultures and i suppose made me not racist lol does that make any sense hahaha??"
Amy Osborne: "well it just seems normal nothing seems different and for me its every day life"
Q8: Have you ever been to the outback? If so, what was it like? Can you picture Australia without the outback?
Angie To: "Nope, I haven't. :P really want to though, it would be awesome. :D"
Daniel Gibson: "The outback has little effect on most Australian's lives. I personally have crossed 12 of the 13 deserts, climbed ayers rock twice and travelled the most remote track in the world, the canning stock route. Most Australians haven't done these things or could even fathom what most of our country is like. But for those of us who have experienced it, it is a magical environment which needs to be protected and treasured. Additionally, the sparseness of our nation does influence city livers in that they can travel less than 2 hours out of their capital city and be in the bush, enabling camping, fishing, four wheel driving, and riding motorbikes, which is a great escape and release for many Australians. Without the outback we may aswell live in Tokyo or New York breathing smog and living stressful lives in the hectic congestion. Our outback and sparseness means we live a more relaxed life with the ability to escape the rat race of inner city mayhem. For some the outback provides no real advantage but for most it promotes lifestyle, pride, and a common feature of our nation for all Australians to enjoy."
Cameron Layer: "not australia"
Q9: Finally, is there any stereotypical assumptions you would like to clear up about Australia or any you would like to confirm as true? :)
Angie To: "Well, we definitely seem to drink a lot of beer. :P I personally don't, but it's a pretty Aussie thing to just kick back with a beer at the end of a long hard day of work. Also, yes there are a lot of kangaroos, but it does depend where you live. They don't just hop around the city centers. :P
And no, we're not all buddies with kangaroos. :P they're actually pretty dangerous, if you catch them in a bad mood. :P I can't really think of anymore Aussie stereotypes, but another thing is we all do say "mate" a lot. :P And a lot *a lot* of people do say "g'day". :D"
Rachel Jethon: "The only time i've seen an alive kangaroo is dead on the side of the road lol so no there isn't many haha! They're pretty dangerous on the roads so I guess that's why they get hit a lot. Umm saying mate all the time is pretty wrong haha I must admit I do say it a lot but only to play up to the stereotype haha it doesn't come natural, ummm Barbecues do happen a lot for some strange reason lol and sport is a pretty big thing here so i guess a lot of them are true.
CONTACT THEM
:::
They all said that they would be happy to answer any further questions. From their answers here you can see their personalities and see who you want to contact. If you put their name on the search engine on facebook you can easily send them messages.
If you click on a picture it will take you to their profile page on Facebook
by
Ashley Kim and Jae Lee
Blog: http://worldgeoakjl.blogspot.com